Boxers throw punches from what we call the 'On Guard' position. In Karate the punch is thrown from the hip.I persoanlly belive the boxers jab is faster and more accurate and it can be thrown in doubles or trebles. I have boxed for the best part of my life and I have also trained in Wado-Ryu Karate. I found that Karate has a lot more power in a single punch which if executed correctly can easily fell an opponent where a boxers jab is a punch that will 'open a door' to a combination. Personally I think that throwing a punch from the hip has two faults. (1) Its easy to read since it is travelling from the side of the body upwards so therefore you can anticipate when its comming and move accordingly. (2) You have no 'natural' guard since the fist is positioned on the hip. In Boxing we teach to punch straight from the guard positon.The punch moves from the side of the head (guard position) to the target and then back in the guard position.This is a straight line with no angle and as we know the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Now I agree a kick is harder than a punch if done correctly but then again as soon as you kick your off balance because for a brief moment of time you are standing on one leg. As we know boxers have a set stance which enable him to (1) Stay balanced (2) Punch with power,speed and accuracy and (3) it enables him to move into defence or offence very quickly.Kicking is good all the same and any boxer will tell you how hard it is to fight someone with a longer reach which exactly what happens when someone is kicking.The reach is far superior to that of someone who is only using his fists to that of someone who is primarily kicking. Kicks can be anticipated and a boxer is well trained in moving in and out of a 'fighting zone'.The zone for those of you who are unfamiliar is where two boxers can actually exchange punches so if you move out of the zone you cannot be hit.If your kick misses your off balance which can make it even easier to knock you down.Also if the boxer evades your kick the distance you were traying to maintain has been breached and most fighters are well trained for infighting techniques. Hooks,Uppercuts,U-dips are all part of a boxers arsenal and it would take a good person to be able to avoid these without taking at least one big punch,a punch that has the potential to seriously hurt you. I know a lot of excellent Karate instructors and likewise with boxing so I hope I havent come across as too biased.I would be interested to hear anyones thoughts,especially anyone who trains karate,kickboxing or Tae-kwon-do.
